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Bible Pathway - Nov. 26, 2016

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity (I Cor.13:13).

The word charity translated in the King James means love, the predominant characteristic of a Christian. Jesus said By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another(John 13:35). Love means so much to so many people. Chapter 13 of I Corinthians is often called the love chapter. It speaks of what true love should always be. If you desire a measure of the boundaries your love for someone or something has, insert your name every time you see or say love. We might say “Joe long suffering (I Cor. 13:4). No one knows whether this statement is true or not except maybe his wife. At one point, we are given another measure of love in the Word of God. Compare the love Christ has for us and the love we should have for each other. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends(John 15:13).

The Bible gives us several ways to show our love and challenges to test our love. We are told how to live in a lifestyle of love. Christ gave us the Two Commandments which would sum up all the other Commandments. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first Commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other Commandment greater than these(Mark 12:30-31).

Love is more precious than the combined abilities of eloquence, knowledge, or sacrificial giving. Love is a guideline for attitudes and acts by which a person can objectively check whether his service is motivated by self-recognition or by the love of Christ.

Love is not envious or jealous; it will not covet the rich for their possessions, or the great for their power. It is free from suspicion and evil imagination and is ready to forgive the inconsiderate actions of others, even if the offense is repeated seven times in a day (Luke 17:4). Love does not boast or puff itself up to look more important. Love does not insist on its rights, but rather prompts us to promote the welfare of others (I Cor. 10:24, 33) as well as returning good for evil (Rom. 12:20-21) because we realize our indebtedness to God (4:7).

We want more than just words or whimsical feelings. Let us pray that the love of God will shine though us. The darkness of sin and bondage cannot extinguish the supernatural fire of God's love.

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth (I John 3:18).

Thought for Today:

When we love the Lord with all our hearts, love for others will be a natural overflow.

Cross References:

For I Cor. 10:7: See Ex. 32:6. I Cor. 10:26: See Ps. 24:1.

Word Studies:

10:24 another's wealth, the well-being of others; 10:25 shambles, meat market; 11:11 man without the woman, man is not independent of woman; woman is essential to man; 11:13 comely, proper; 12:2 dumb, mute, without a voice; 12:11 severally, individually; 12:24 tempered, united, assembled, combined; 12:25 schism, division; 13:1 charity, love; 13:12 now we see through a glass, darkly, all we are capable of knowing now is partial and incomplete.